What the tribes taught me: Singing life in a complex and turbulent reality | Nomad Project audio sharing session

Dear friends,

I am Sunshine, a dweller on the earth. At the beginning of this year, I participated in the "Nomad Project" organized by Matters and 4Seas communities and received funds.

In April, I embarked on a journey of exploring sustainable living with everyone’s blessings and support, and personally practiced a sustainable life that gave back to the environment, local communities and myself.

I first spent three months in Victoria, Australia, volunteering at five Permaculture practice sites. In the place where the Permaculture concept of sustainability was born and is most popular, I was fortunate to get to know permi elders and like-minded young people who have practiced the concept for many years.

Later, I set foot on African soil, crossed deserts and rainforests, and traveled through five countries. There, I built ecological buildings with clay and sweat , lived in villagers’ homes, and danced with nomads and different tribes.

Finally, after this half-year journey of sustainable living, I invite everyone to attend the audio sharing session at 19:30 on October 23rd - "Things Those Tribes Taught Me: Singing Life in a Complex and Turbulent Reality" .

Needless to say, there are stark contrasts before and after this journey. Australia and West Africa, winter and summer——

The experience in Australia was a brain reshaping. There, I not only learned to put the most cutting-edge theories into practice, but also broke through thousands of years of anthropocentric/evolutionist perspectives through intellectual discussion and learning. The breakthrough in thinking is still being digested and sorted out, and it is difficult to express it in words.

In terms of life, the three months in Australia are rich and abundant. They eat food picked from the soil. The generous permi people like to share feeds with each other. I was blessed to have had a very fruitful winter both physically and mentally.

And heading to Africa immediately after leaving Australia is like being suddenly dragged from the cradle and put on display in the real world. Moving long distances in a land where we don't understand the language requires us to learn to ask for help and let go; and the various people I met during that process each gave me a different impact. Even in West Africa, each tribe's situation is different; but now, they are forced to share a similar colonial history, corrupt and inactive governments, and the monopoly and control of capital.

Every day with the villagers, 90% of the food is white rice or bread sticks, and tea with a lot of white sugar. Their happiness is that they dance, sing and play together every day. Sighs can only be heard when chatting in depth, and tears can only be witnessed when parting or late at night. Their lives are relaxed and simple, and their eyes are pure and unsullied. Uncomfortable and sad, I can only hide these huge feelings in my heart and body, and respond with a brighter smile and love when every little girl hugs me and smiles at me.

This is not only a geographical journey spanning 12 time zones, but also a reshaping of the brain under the influence of culture. Eat the same food and have the same routine as the locals; completely let go of your own prejudices and assumptions and integrate, understand and empathize with other cultures.

Every time I move my body, my adaptability gradually becomes stronger, and my understanding of the body and mind gradually deepens. I am used to walking barefoot on stones, and the soles of my feet are worn with layers of calluses; I am used to jumping into winter ponds and taking cold water from wells to bathe; I am used to catching the morning light from all over the world in the early morning, and I am used to waiting for a long time I am used to meditating or standing in a standing position, just looking at the changing scenery outside the window on a bumpy vehicle and falling into sleep...

I think of a quote I saw graffitied on a wall in French-speaking West Africa - Ainsi va la vie, that's life. It condenses my six-month journey - wandering in a different place and communicating with a different culture. What I always have to come back to is breathing and movement 24 hours a day and 3600 minutes. After all, is nomadism a kind of life?

Although I have at least ten more travel notes on this trip that I am writing in parallel, but before this long process of writing comes to an end, I want to share my story directly with my voice.

Whether you are interested in sustainable living, curious about multiculturalism, or just want to hear a story of bumpy wandering, I sincerely invite you to participate in this sharing session.

If you have any questions that are curious about my journey, whether abstract or practical, you are welcome to tell me in advance through comments; if you want to ask anonymously, you are also welcome to send it to me via https://tally.so/r/mYMVEJ . There will also be enough time for a Q&A session at the sharing meeting to answer everyone's questions.

Looking forward to meeting you at the sharing session.

Love you,

Sunshine